CBS’s Lincoln Lawyer Replacement Officially Doubles Viewership After Delayed Viewing
A new legal drama arrives
Matlock became a hit after its first episode aired in 2024, averaging more than 10 million viewers. The Kathy Bates-led series returned for a second season, but its third season was pushed to next year and it is absent from CBS’s fall schedule.
CBS has filled the spot with Cupertino, a legal drama set in California’s corporate world. Created by Robert and Michelle King, it follows two lawyers dealing with legal disputes involving technology companies and startups.
The pilot finds more viewers
Cupertino airs Thursdays at 10 pm. Its story follows Michael, played by Mike Colter, and Olivia, played by Rachel Keller, as they build a law practice by taking on Silicon Valley giants.
The pilot drew 3.19 million live and same-day viewers. Recent Nielsen ratings put its audience at 7.17 million when delayed viewing was included, more than twice the initial figure.
Encore boosts total audience
An encore broadcast on Sunday, October 11, lifted the episode’s reported audience to 10.58 million viewers. That total is close to the average audience Matlock drew, though the article does not specify whether the figures use the same measurement period.
Critics reviewed Cupertino positively, and the series received a 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes. Its initial live audience was smaller than Matlock’s, while later viewing substantially increased the pilot’s reach.
Key points
- Cupertino replaced Matlock on CBS’s schedule while Matlock Season 3 was delayed until next year.
- The Cupertino pilot drew 3.19 million live and same-day viewers.
- Delayed viewing raised the pilot audience to 7.17 million, Nielsen ratings show.
- An October 11 encore brought the reported audience to 10.58 million.